1. Field of the Invention
The described technology relates generally to a fuel cell stack and a membrane electrode assembly. More particularly, the described technology relates generally to a fuel cell stack and a membrane electrode assembly having a circumferential edge protective layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, a fuel cell is an electrical generator system that converts chemical energy of hydrogen that is contained in a hydrocarbon-based fuel and oxygen that is separately supplied, to electrical energy.
The fuel cell is largely classified into a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell and a direct oxidation fuel cell.
The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes a fuel cell main body that is called a stack and has a structure that generates electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen that is supplied from a reformer and oxygen that is supplied by operating an air pump or a fan.
Unlike the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, the direct oxidation fuel cell directly receives fuel without using hydrogen, and has a structure that generates electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen that is contained in the fuel and oxygen that is separately supplied.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.